Harness-saddle



(No Model.)

T. W, GOLVIN. HARNESS SADDLE.

No. 461,404 I Patented Oct. 13,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. COLVIN, OF DELPHI, INDIANA.

HARNESS-SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 461,404, dated. October 13, 1891.

Application filed July 16, 1890. Renewed September 16, 1891. Serial No. 405,860- (No model.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS \V. COLVIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delphi, in th county of Carroll and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness-Saddles; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to harness-saddles, but more particularly to an improvement in the construction and arrangement of backbands or bearing-straps, whereby they are rendered adjustable, pivotal, and removable at their upper ends in relation to the saddle and at their lower ends form exceedingly simple, inexpensive, and convenient shaft loops or tugs.

\Vith these objects in view my invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combinations of parts, more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a part of a harness-saddle of ordinary construction provided with my improved attachments; Fig. 2, a side View; Fig. 3, a section through line 00:1; of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail view of one of the bearingstrap ends, and Fig. 5 a detail View of one of the shaft tugs or loops.

The reference-figure 2 indicates the skirts of the saddle, and 3 the saddle-plate, secured to said skirts and straddling the saddle-tree in the usual manner. This plate is made with high side flanges 4, and the lips 5 at its opposite ends, by means of which it is secured to the saddle-skirts, are dropped down somewhat, and hence it will be apparent that the central portion of the plate will be elevated from the surface of the skirt, and thus a space 10 left between the latter and the plate. The

. two portions of the plate on opposite sides of the saddle are formed precisely alike, and hence a description of but one Will be necessary, as follows: The plate is provided below the terret 6, which extends through it, with a series of key-holes or openings 7,'Wl1l0h extend down its center and each of which consists of a central circular perforation or eye 8, and oppositely-extending slots 9, leading therefrom transversely to the saddle-plate and forming with the circular portion an opening having the form of a key-hole. It is obvious that these key-holes open into the space 10 beneath the saddle-plate.

The bearingstrap consists of a pair of straps 11 and 12, suitably stitched together and formed at their upper ends'into a loop 13, loosely engaged by the open end or bow 14, of a metal key 15, the parts being thus pivotally connected and the strip allowed free play away from and toward the saddle. The head 16 of this key consists of a substantially circular disk, from the center of the under side of which projects the round pin or post 18, having extending from its opposite sides at its outer end the lugs or bits 19, which leaves between them and the under surface of the disk a space equal to the thickness of the saddle-plate. The bits extend in line lengthwise with the key and strap, and hence it will be seen that it is necessary to bring the latter at right angles to the saddle-plate before the key will register with thetransverse openings in the latter. When brought to this position the bits and pin will be inserted through the key-hole and the disk shoved home against the surface of the plate, when the key will be turned and the bits carried under the plate,

thus locking the bearing-strap to the saddle. It will be seen that the connection thus made is pivotal, the advantage of this being that the motion of the shafts is not then imparted to the saddle, causing soreness of the horses back, and, moreover, the straps can be readily adjusted to a smaller horse Without any other change than simply turning the strap up at right angles to the saddle-plate, and then removing the key and inserting it in a higher opening and turning it down again. A further advantage of having the bearing-straps so easily removable is, that it greatly facilitates cleaning of the harness and packing and storing the same, duo.

The mechanism for adjusting the bearingstraps at their upper ends leaves their lower ends freeto be formed into shaft loops or tugs. As previously stated, these straps are formed of two pieces Hand 12, stitched together, and to form the tug the under strap 11 is'simply doubled into a loop 20, the end 21 of which is spliced and carried back between the two straps 11 and 12, and secured by stitching 23, as seen in Fig. 5. A re-enforcing-piece 22 is stitched in the inside of the loop, its upper end being spliced and interposed between the strap, together with the end of the loop and secured in like manner. The outside strap 12 is carried on overthe outside of the tug, its projecting end 17 beingperforated and of sufticient length for attachment to the bellyband. The tug on the opposite side of the saddle is shown formed somewhat differently, the outside strap 12 being doubled to form the loop and interposed between the two straps, the lower end of the outside one and the upper end of the tug being spliced to form a neat joint, as seen in Fig. 5. By this arrangement the tugs can be simplyand cheaply made from the straps themselves, and the straps and buckles necessary for attaching separate loops dispensed'with.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a harness-saddle, the combination of the saddle-plate, provided with a series of apertures, and a bearing-strap consisting of a pair of straps 11 and 12, a metal loop at the upper ends of the straps through which they are passed, said loop being provided with means for adjustably connecting them with said plate for vertically adjusting the straps, the shaft tug or loop formed of the former one of said straps, whose end 21 is introduced between the two straps and secured by stitching, said other strap extending beyond said tug to form a part of the belly-band, and the re-enforcingpiece stitched insidetheloop,substantially as shown and described.

. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS W. COLVIN. Witnesses:

O. E; ANGELL, JOHN W. FAVVCETT. 

